The invention relates to a rack for supporting a cathode-ray tube during manufacture providing for attachment of the faceplate portion of the tube to the bulb portion of the tube.
The Japanese patent publication No. 53-123 654 discloses a method of sealing or fusing the faceplate to the cone of a color picture tube in which the tube is placed on a rack and is then moved on a conveyor through a continuous furnace. To the rack there is mounted a tubing having one end extending to the neck of the tube and through which a gas for removing organic substances which result from the tube being heated in the continuous furnace, can be blown into the tube.
The inlet end of the tubing is widened in a funnel-shaped manner and terminates below the rack, but above the belt conveyor on which the rack is placed. Cathode-ray tubes can be easily damaged if not placed vertically or if lifted in a non-vertical manner for the purpose of removing and inserting the tubing from the cathode-ray tube. It can be appreciated that, in connection with this conventional type of rack, the bottom of the tube below the rack must be capable of being lifted and lowered for insertion and removal of the gas supply tube. This has required that a special device must be provided for at both the beginning and the end of the continuous furnace. Further, when gas is blown into the tubing either in the proximity of or through the belt conveyor, great care has to be taken in order to prevent dirt particles which always exist in this area from being blown into the cathode-ray tube.